Deadly Case- Ghost Hunt
by BirdCannotFly
Summary: Naru has feelings for Mai he doesn't know how to deal with. There is a new case that has everyone stumped and could cost someones life. Will Naru be able to deal with his conflicted feelings, or will it be too late? R&R please. :)
1. Bruised

Ghost Hunt

~Chapter 1: Bruised~

~Mai~

"Sometimes, he really is a jerk. An egotistical, narcissistic jerk…" Mai muttered to herself as she dumped the new, and perfectly good, tea she made down the sink. As she tried to ignore the aching pain behind her eyes, she cleaned up the tea set to make a new batch. Still seething, she remembered how the scene played out.

_Flashback…_

"_Okay, your Highness. Here's your tea." Mai said with fake admiration. Naru made a grunt in response, not looking up from the packet of possible cases. He reached for the cup, as Mai placed it in front of him. On first sip, he put the packet down and looked at the seventeen year old brunette with a cold glare. "What?" She asked, annoyance lacing her voice._

"_It's not hot enough." He said coolly. She sighed._

"_Fine, I'll reheat it." She gave in. Naru's glare grew colder, if possible._

"_Idiot. Don't do that. Make new tea, hotter this time." He demanded. Mai's face grew red from anger. Sometimes, he really got under her skin. With a frustrated groan, she left his office in a huff._

_End…_

"I wonder if he would even care if I left?" Mai mused aloud. It was true that she felt Naru didn't appreciate her. No one made the hot beverage for him besides her. She smirked at the thought of refusing to make him anymore tea. He would probably die of thirst. Tea was pretty much all she'd ever seen the narcissist drink. She wondered if he would bleed tea.

"Duh." A woman voiced from Mai. The brunette squealed in surprise and spun around. She recognized the woman as Ayako.

"Wh-What?" Mai asked, not sure what she meant.

"Of course he would care if you left. It may seem like he cares more about his reflection than an actual person, but there's you. Everyone sees it but you and Naru. Even Masako sees it, rather she wants to admit it or not." Ayako explained. Mai laughed.

"Naru? Caring? Right. And next, you'll admit your feelings for Monk." Mai smiled deviously.

"What?" Ayako asked, not catching what Mai said.

"Nothing." She said innocently. Ayako gave a doubtful look before turning back into the main room of Shibuya Psychic Research. Everyone had gathered there because they were supposed to agree on a case.

Mai finished off the new batch of tea and brought it to her friends and co-workers who relaxed on the couches. Naru sat in the head chair.

"We're waiting on you, Mai." Naru coldly regarded her.

"Well maybe if you hadn't made me make you new tea, I wouldn't be talking so long…" Mai slightly muttered with equal coldness.

"I heard you." He replied as Mai set the steaming cups on the coffee table.

"You were meant to."

The two glared at each other for a while. Lin cleared his throat. That broke their menacing contest as they both looked away and huffed.

"Anyway, there is a case I have found interesting. I would like to share it with you all." Naru said as he motioned for us to pick up the folders in front of us. Mai picked hers up and sifted through it. Most of the papers were pictures of the house and family. In the family was a tall man with short blonde hair and bright green eyes. His son, probably, was next to him but he had shaggy and longer silver hair. He was exceptionally good looking to Mai. He looked to be about eighteen. There was no woman, just them. Their house was large, two floors.

"No mother?" Mai asked Naru. He shook his head.

"She died a few years ago. She'd taken ill." Mai nodded her head. Everyone's gazed flicked to her for a split second. It reminded them that Mai did not have any parents. Even Naru looked at her with sympathy. He cleared his throat. "Mr. Tadashi and his son will be here in a few minutes to speak with us about what exactly goes on at their mansion." SPR nodded and continued to look at the pictures. A knock sounded on the front door. Mai stood, brushed down her skirt. She walked over and pulled open the door to see the two men from the photograph. Tadashi-san had a friendly smile, but he looked exhausted.

"Welcome to Shibuya Psychic Research. Please, come in and get comfortable." Mai said with a happy smile. Tadashi-kun looked at Mai the whole time with a smirk. Something about the guy made her skittish.

"Mai, more tea." Naru said when the Tadashi family sat. Mai nodded and went to the kitchen. She was in mid-tea making when she felt the familiar tug of unconsciousness. She put the tea set down on the table to keep from dropping it on her way to the floor.

On her way down, her back slammed into the side of the counter, sparking pain all down her spine. She hit the floor with a loud and painful **thud** when she slipped into her dark dreamland.

_Dreamland…_

_Mai's eyes snapped open with a gasp. She slowly sat up to look for Gene._

"_Gene!" She yelled. _

"_Right here." Gene said from behind Mai. She stood to her feet and turned to look at him._

"_You seriously couldn't have chosen a worst time to call me." She muttered._

"_Noll will be worried, so I'll make this fast; Don't trust Tadashi Souta." Gene said._

"_Tadashi Souta?" Who's that?" Mai asked, confused._

"_I'll give you a hint; He's got silver hair and green eyes." Her eyes widened. She realized she never found out Tadashi-kun's first name._

"_Why? I mean, the guy creeps me out a little, but I don't think he'd hurt me." She said._

"_Just please, take my advice. Now, I have to send you back. Tell Noll I said hi." One side of Gene's mouth turned upwards. Mai nodded and gave in to the feeling of waking up._

~Naru~

There was this nagging feeling in the back of Naru's mind. It was hard to pay attention to what Tadashi-san was saying about his house. Mai sure was taking a long time. She's usually pretty speedy while making tea.

"Excuse me, Tadashi-san." Naru said, interrupting.

"Oh, please call me Kenzo and my son Souta." Kenzo said with a smile. Naru nodded.

"Mai!? What taking so long?" Naru yelled towards the kitchen. When she made no reply, he called her again. "Mai!?" Now he was worried. He threw down his paper onto the table and jogged to the kitchen. "Mai…?" He said when he reached the room. He let down his emotionless façade when he saw his assistant on the floor, out cold. He scrambled onto the floor, picking up her body carefully. She laid bridal style in his arms as he looked to her pale face. Absentmindedly, he moved a few strands of hair from her face and smiled. He put his mask up again and walked to the main area.

Ayako looked up and gasped. Everyone followed suit.

"Hey, is she okay?" Tadashi-kun asked. Monk and Ayako, who were sitting on the couch, got up for Naru to place Mai down.

"She'll be okay. She's psychic, and she sometimes has a prophetic dream out of no where. This, unfortunately, happens a lot." Naru said as he placed a pillow under her head. She looked… kind of cute. Naru wiped the small smile from his face and shook his head. _Cute!? I've never thought her to be cute. Snap out of it, Oliver! _He thought to himself. When he thought no one was looking, he caressed her cheek, before puling back like she'd burnt him. _What the hell! Stop it, Oliver! _He turned away and sat back in his chair before he got the urge to kiss her head or something. A pink hue tinged his cheeks, which he was quick to hide. "Kenzo, Souta, please continue about your house." Naru said, picking up a pen to write down the necessities.

"Um, well, this started happening after my wife passed. Doors, locked or not, will open and close on their own, sometimes chairs pull out from underneath you when you go to sit down. Oh! Souta claims he was pushed down the stairs by an invisible source." Kenzo stated. Naru wrote it all down and nodded along.

"Did you get injured?" He asked the silver hair boy.

"Well, I did get a few bruises. Nothing that I can't handle." He shrugged. Naru did not like this guy. He was too cocky for his own good. Plus, he noticed Souta looking at Mai with a strange expression. Even as she slept, he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. It annoyed Naru to no end. If he had his way, he wouldn't take this case. For Mai's sake. But, the business had been slow lately and they needed a job. With a defeated sigh, Naru nodded.

"We'll take your case." Naru grumbled. Souta shot him daggers with his eyes. They all stopped what they were doing when a small voice moaned as Mai's eyes fluttered open.

"Welcome back to us, Mai." Naru regarded icily. It nearly killed him to be so mean to her, but it needed to be done. "I took some notes for you." With that he flung the notebook to her, hitting her back. She whimpered in pain. Naru's eyes widened. He hadn't thrown the notebook that hard, had he? "Mai, I-I.. um.. I.." He tried to sputter out an apology, but his pride wasn't having it.

"It's okay. It's not your fault. There's just some bruises on my back, from hitting the floor no doubt." She sighed. Naru still felt bad. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just apologize like a normal person?

"Let me take a look." Ayako asked. Mai's cheeks tinted pink.

"No, no. It's fine, really. Don't worry about it." She smiled, putting her hands up. _She really is too good to others. _Naru wondered in his head. Mai reached for the notebook that was now on the ground. After she looked over it, she turned to Naru.

"Are we taking it?" She asked him, her brow eyes sparkling. Those warm brown eyes. He loved those eyes.

"Yes, we're taking it. You and Lin, go load up the van for tomorrow. And Kenzo, we'll need three rooms. One for base and two as sleeping quarters." Kenzo nodded.

"That can be arranged." He said. Mai lead them to the door. They left, but not before Souta smirked at her again. Naru wanted to rip the guy's head from his body. But instead of sitting around and letting people see he was angry, he retreated to his office, slamming the door behind him. He heard snickering from the others and a small "What?" from Mai.

Naru felt this was going to be a long case…

~Mai~

Everyone was laughing quietly after she'd led Souta and Kenzo out. She didn't know why though.

"What?" She asked.

"It's clear that Tadashi-kun likes you, Mai." Monk said with Ayako nodding.

"Souta? Oh, I don't think so." Mai doubted any guy would ever be interested in her. She stretched her arms up and over her head. Then she winced and dropped her arms, sighing in relief.

"Mai, let me take a look at your bruises." Ayako said again. Mai sighed and relented. Ayako pulled her into the bathroom where Mai shed her shirt. Ayako gasped. There was a large purple, red and blue bruise covering her shoulder blades and most of her back. Monk heard her gasp from the other side of the closed door.

"What? Mai? Ayako, is it that bad?" Monk was worried. He thought of Mai as a daughter and he hates that she's hurt. Ayako opened the door.

"See for yourself." She said. Mai was wearing a tank top under her shirt, but you could still plainly see the gnarly bruise along her shoulders and down.

"Mai.." Monk breathed. He pulled her into a bear hug. "Oh poor Mai! That looks so painful! I'm so sorry this happened!" Mai tuned out the rest of what he was saying. He was just going off on a tangent and over reacting, like always.

"What's going on?" Naru's ice cold voice ordered from behind Monk. He stopped and let go of Mai.

"They were just freaking out over my stupid bruise. It's not a big deal." She said.

"But, Mai! It's awful! Maybe you should go home and get some rest." Ayako said. Mai shaking her head _It's only a bruise. It's not like I broke something…_

"Well, if Ayako thinks you should go home, I'll be the judge of that. Let me see." Naru said, sounding like he knew it wasn't that bad.

~Naru~

He had to hold back his anger and gasp. Mai's back looked awful and painful. Naru let the mask drop for a moment to show shock and concern. With his non-emotional face back, he sighed

"Mai, take the rest of the day off. Go home and rest. Be back here at nine AM tomorrow." He ordered.

"Is that really necessary?" She grumbled, slipping her tee-shirt back on over her tank.

"Yes, it is. You'll be carrying heavy equipment tomorrow and I don't need you unable to do so." He pointed to the door. "Go."

She whined as she gathered her stuff up. Her back ached, so maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

Mai made it back to her apartment in five minutes. She lived near SPR. When she walked through the door, her body collapsed on the couch. _Some ice would help._ Sleep overtook her as she thought that and let her self go.

_Dreamland…_

_Two dreams in one day was not uncommon, even so, the first time that day wasn't really a dream. More like a warning. _

_Mai stood in her black dreamland looking around for her spirit guide. _

"_Over here." She turned to see the Naru look-alike. _

"_What do you have to show me today, Gene?" She asked, not sure if she really wanted to know._

"_Of course it's about none other than the case you'll be starting tomorrow." He nodded, taking his hand and leading her to a farther spot where colors started to spurt._

_There was a back yard with a large cherry blossom tree. Attached to it, was a rope carrying a tire swing. The glass door slid open and a small child, at least four or five years old, came wobbling out. He was laughing and smiling. Excited, maybe. A beautiful woman who looked like the child followed. She wore a blue and purple kimono with flowers on it. Her hair was long and silver, tied back with a green bow. Her eyes were bright blue and she looked so content to be with the child. It occurred to Mai that the child was Souta and the woman was his mother. _

_The two played around the yard for a while before Kenzo came home. He looked angry. _

"_Aiko, why is Souta outside? He should be inside, resting." Kenzo demanded. _

"_Lighten up, Kenzo. He's been inside for weeks. Just let him have a little fun." Aiko smiled. Just then, Souta started coughing. It was a body wrenching cough that cause blood to splatter in his hand and on the ground. Aiko and Kenzo looked to Souta with agony. Aiko picked him up easily and carried him inside._

_The picture switched to a children's bedroom. A boy rested inside the safety of the covers in bed. He looked ill. Pale and sweating. Aiko and Kenzo sat beside the bed while holding hands for comfort._

"_How much longer does he have?" Aiko whimpered. She was crying. Her husband shook his head._

"_The doctor said he'll be gone in the time of two days." He whispered. Aiko made a choked cry and huddled into Kenzo's arms._

"_I wish… I wish I could take his place! So God will take me instead and little Souta will live a long and happy life!" Aiko cried. Kenzo smoothed his hand down her hair and muttered soothing things._

_The scene changed to a slightly older and healthier looking Souta. Sadness was buried deep in his eyes as he stood in the rain at a gravestone. The gravestone read "Tadashi Aiko- Beloved wife, daughter, and mother"._

"_Gene?" Mai said. She swiveled her head to face him. Who was already looking at her._

"_That's all I can show you for now. Sad, isn't it? Souta had such a tough time growing up. He may look innocent, but don't believe everything you hear." Mai nodded. Gene looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ah, Noll is coming up to your apartment. I'd better let you go so you can answer the door. Goodbye, Mai. We'll see each other soon." Gene smiled. It still shocked her how much Naru and Gene were completely different. She closed her eyes and fell backwards, knowing full well she'd wake up on her couch._

Mai's eyes snapped open in time to hear a knock on her door. Her muscles ached and remembered that before she fell asleep, she was going to get ice.

Walking to the door, she flung it open and none other than Naru the narcissist stood.

~Naru~

Mai didn't look surprised to see Naru at all. Just annoyed and tired. Her clothes where wrinkled and she was rubbing her eye from drowsiness. Naru smiled internally at the sight. _It's kind of endearing… Okay, Oliver. Stop. This is Mai we are talking about. Your assistant. _With those thoughts forgotten, he got be to what Naru was really there for.

"You look tired. Any dreams I should know about?" He asked. Mai sighed, nodded, and motioned for him to come in. He did so. They talked while Mai drank some coffee to wake her up. She told him all about her dreams. He was surprised to know that Gene warned her about Souta.

"I knew I didn't like that guy. Something about him was off the whole time." Naru admitted. Mai nodded after taking a sip of her coffee.

"I just don't know what to look out for. Like, what would he do? Do you think he's possessed or something?" Mai asked. It seemed like a logical aspect. Naru pondered this.

"I'm not sure. We'll find out though." She nodded again. After an awkward silence, Mai broke it.

"So, Naru, why are you here? Just to see if I'd had any dreams?" She wondered, yawning. Naru shook his head.

"No. Ayako was going to come over to see how you were doing. But she told me she had last minute plans. I offered to exchange places." He said, not wanting to admit he came to check on her of his own free will. Mai looked a bit suspicious, but accepted the answer.

"Well, my back smarts pretty bad, but I think I'll live." Mai smiled brightly. Naru wanted to smile too, but refrained. It was tiring to hold up the façade. Acting like you care about no one but yourself. It was hell being so rude to Mai.

He looked to the clock on the wall and saw it was almost nine.

"I should be going. Get some sleep. You'll be helping tomorrow whether your back hurts or not." He coldly regarded her. She led him to the door.

Cheerily, she smiled and bowed, but not without wincing.

"Of course, boss! I'll be at work around nine, like you said," Naru nodded and left.

Maybe this case would be somewhat bearable with Mai around.

_~~End of Part 1~~_

_**So?**_

_**What did you think? **_

_**I made it longer than my other stories, so yay. :3**_

_**I like writing this, so I know I'll continue.**_

_**Review and tell me what you think!**_

_**~BirdCannotFly**_


	2. Tadashi Mansion

Ghost Hunt

~Chapter 2: Tadashi Mansion~

~Mai~

The door to Shibuya Psychic Research swung open, revealing a tired looking Monk. A large blue duffle bag adorned his back. He dragged his feet in as slow as a slug. Mai was doing some paperwork at her desk. She snickered when seeing such a tired Monk.

"Tired, Monk?" She asked while trying not to laugh. He let his bag drop to the floor next to the couch, which he collapsed onto.

"Naru had me stay late to load the van since you went home." Mai felt instantly guilty.

"Monk, I'm sorry…" Mai whined.

"Don't be. Anyways, how's the bruise?" Monk asked while raising his eyebrows questioningly. Her back was still sore, but better.

"Not as bad as yesterday. I'll be alright." She smiled reassuringly. Naru's office door slammed open. The narcissist walked out while pinching the bridge of his nose with his right forefinger and thumb.

"Mai, do you have the forms done I asked you to complete?" Mai nodded, handing him the stack of work she'd previously completed. Naru sifted through the paperwork and stuck it under his arm. "Where is everyone? I asked them all to be here by nine and it's almost ten. We'll be late." Naru mumbled as he glanced at his watch.

Masako, John Brown, and Ayako walked through the door around ten. As soon Naru was in Masako's line of vision, she bounded up to him

"Hello, Naru. How are you doing this fine morning?" She asked, smiling behind her kimono sleeve. Mai rolled her eyes while facing the window so no one would notice. Masako and Naru conversed for a few moments.

"Mai…..Mai….Mai!" She was knocked out of her stupor and turned her head to see Ayako.

"Oh good morning, Ayako." She smiled slightly.

"Morning. How's your back? Any better?" Ayako asked while pulling a chair up across Mai. She nodded.

"And thanks for sending Naru over to my apartment to check on me. That was nice of you." Mai smiled. Ayako gave her a confused look, but then she smiled a devious smile and nodded.

"Of course I sent Naru to check up on you." She then laughed, which confused Mai.

John Brown came over to join in on the conversation.

"Mai? What's wrong with your back?" He asked, worry underlining his Australian accent. Mai waved her hand dismissively. Ayako explained to John as well as she could.

"Ouch! Well, I hope ya feel better soon." the Aussie said with a nervous smile. Mai was about to thank him, but Naru's loud voice drowned out all conversation.

"Everyone! We're going to be late if you all don't stop lollygagging!" **(I'm pretty sure he would never say 'lollygagging', but you get the idea) **Naru shooed SPR into the van.

They reached the Tadashi mansion in a time span of about ten minutes. Naru drove and Mai sat upfront next to him. She stared out the open window while the wind blew her hair in all different directions. A sickening feeling settled itself in her stomach the closer they got to the mansion. To be honest, she wasn't looking forward to this case.

~Naru~

Naru, for some strange reason, could not keep his eyes off of her. He even almost crashed the van at one point or another. He was certain she did not notice though. Who knows, maybe she did. Naru decided to ignore that thought.

When they pulled into the driveway, Kenzo was sitting on the porch with Souta. Naru narrowed his eyes at the sight of Souta. Everyone else exited. Mai was about to, but he pulled her back in.

"Mai. If possible, try not to be alone with Souta. I'm serious. If you end up getting alone with him somehow, make some excuse of finding me, Monk, or Lin. Okay? Promise me." Naru demanded. Mai thought for a second before nodding.

"I promise." She assured. Their faces had gotten mysteriously close. Each other's breath on one another's face. Mai blushed, but Naru held it back. She gave a stern nod before scrambling out of the van. It was then that he let the blush flood his cheeks like a broken dam. He gripped the steering wheel so tight, his knuckles turned paper white. His eyes stared wide and focused on his lap. He'd almost lost it. If he leaned in any more, their lips surely would have touched. Naru almost did. It took all the willpower he had to hold himself back. _What's wrong with me!? _he thought.

Once calmed down, he jumped out of the drivers seat and helped with unloading. Once base was set up, Kenzo invited everyone to explore the house. Of course, Lin and Naru stayed at base tending to some things that needed toggling. But Naru's mind was out of the game. It just couldn't stay off of the topic "All Things Mai".

~Mai~

The first place Mai wanted to explore was the back yard. She stepped out onto the stones while taking in the scene. The large cherry tree was in bloom and the petals were everywhere. It was beautiful, but something was unsettling about this place. It was becoming unnaturally foreboding as she drew closer to the tire swing still tied to a large branch of the tree. She reached out for the tire swing, waiting for a headache or a vision to pop up unexpectedly. When her fingers brushed against it; nothing. Anything making her uncomfortable about this spot was all gone and had become completely silent. No rustling. No wind. Nothing. And that frightened her.

"Lovely spot, isn't it?" A deep voice from behind her said. She whipped her hand away and turned suddenly. Of course, none other than Souta stood there. He was smiling. But it wasn't a happy smile. It was more like a kind of "I know something you don't" smile. She'd noticed he always looked at her like this. Souta got closer to Mai while looking around. She was trembling and couldn't stop. "This place is a very special place to me. Tell me, what has attracted you to this spot Ms. Taniyama?" Souta said, stopping inches away from her. Questions of how he knew Mai's last name skittered around in her head. She was sure that Naru hadn't told him. She'd become even more freaked out. It took her a while to realize he was waiting for an answer.

"I, um, saw the cherry blossom tree and couldn't help myself." She smiled, trying to play it off casually.

"Are you sure it wasn't something else?" Implication laced his voice. Danger bells were louder than ever in her head. She nodded, not sure if she could tell him about the vision she saw with him and his mother when he was younger. He squinted his eyes at her. Like he was trying to see something that was either not there or something so small it could hardly be seen. This made Mai even more uncomfortable being around Souta. She shook her head.

"Um, I think I need to head back to base. Naru and the others are probably waiting for me." She was about to sidestep around him, but he matched her step.

"Surely you can stay to chat for a little while. Right?" Souta said with a gleam in his eye. She had to get out of there now.

"No, I'm sorry. Naru will need me to set up the cameras, make him tea. A whole bunch of stuff. I'm working right now and I can't slack off. If you'll excuse me…" She again tried to get around him, but he still would not let her go.

"Oh come on. The guy's a jerk. He doesn't treat you right. That guy lacks manners." Souta tried persuading her to stay. What he said only made her angry.

"He may not have the best manners, but he's my boss and friend. I care about him. Don't blame him. You don't know what he's really like. Now, I must be going." Mai said a bluntly. She made it halfway across the yard when a strong hand grabbed her upper arm and tugged her back. She whimpered in pain.

"You won't be going anywhere." He hissed in her face.

"Souta. I'd appreciate it if you'd let go of my assistant." A cold and deep voice yelled from the doorway.

"Naru!" Mai cried. She looked over to her narcissist boss who was glaring fiercely at the boy who was hurting Mai's arm. Naru started walking towards them. Souta gritted his teeth and let go of her arm, throwing her on the ground. He then gave a growl to Naru, and left.

She still trembled on the ground, not sure what to do with herself. The arm Souta held so tightly felt tender.

"Mai…" She saw two polished black shoes come closer to her. She looked up, expecting to see the emotionless face she was used to seeing, but instead, she saw something that surprised her. Pure concern.

Naru bent down and helped her up. His arm rested around her shoulders as he walked her to base. She leant into his side for comfort and received it. This was unusual behavior for Naru, but she thought nothing of it. Or about how his arm was squeezing her with sympathy. Her cheeks heated up at being so close with Naru, but she didn't move away. She enjoyed his company. Actually, she smiled softly.

~Naru~

He was seething on the inside. He wanted to break Souta in half with his bare hands. But, he would not do so. For Mai's sake. What would have happened if Naru hadn't decided to go looking for her? What would've happened if he hadn't shown up when he did? Why did Souta want to hurt Mai? They got to base where everyone was working, but they looked up when Naru, still holding Mai around the shoulders while she hugged his side, walked in. You could just tell by how Mai looked that something happened. Monk sprung up to his feet and took Mai from Naru. He felt like something was missing from him without her. _That's stupid. They'll take care of her batter than I can. _He shook his head.

"Naru, what happened?" Ayako asked. Anger still was written all over his features.

"It was that idiot Souta. I could kill that guy for what he did…" He said with venom. SPR was surprised by how mad he was. It showed he cared about Mai, which everyone knew about anyways, but it was odd he showed it.

"It's okay. I'm alright." Mai said to everyone who was asking her questions. She started telling the story from the beginning. Naru's eyes widened when she admitted to standing up for him against Souta. She blushed and looked to her hands. He asked her if she needed anything. When Mai said no, he nodded a curt nod and went into the kitchen.

There he smiled to himself. Mai stood up for him. That made him genuinely happy.

~Mai~

It was later when she was changing into her pajamas that she discovered the hand shaped bruise on her upper arm.

"What's with me and bruises lately…?" Mai muttered to herself. She changed her clothes and went into the room where Masako and Ayako were already sleeping. She laid down and tried to fall into it as well, but she couldn't. Two hours passed and she couldn't do it. With a sigh, she got up and left the room. Quietly checking the kitchen for anyone, she went inside it.

Mai had three glasses of water before she yawned. Maybe she could sleep now? As she was about to leave, Kenzo walked in. Internally, she breathed a sigh of relief that it was not the other Tadashi.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I couldn't sleep so I came down to get a drink of water." Mai said frantically, not knowing if he would be upset by her being down here.

"It's quite alright. It seems we had the same idea." He said sincerely with a smile. Mai smiled too. His eyes squinted towards her arm.

"Mai, is it?" He asked. She nodded while making a sound of acknowledgment. "I know it may be none of my business, but the mark on your arm; that wasn't there before was it?" He said, pointing to the purple and blue branded hand on her arm. A sad look crossed her face while her opposite hand rubbed the mark absentmindedly.

"Um, no." Mai smiled sheepishly. It wasn't that she wanted to tell him his son was the one that did it. She felt he would become defensive. To be honest, Mai thought she would be too if she was in Kenzo's shoes. There was a moment of silence before the man said something.

"Was it the tall, dark haired boy who did this?" He asked with a very serious look covering his face. Mai was instantly surprised at his guess.

"What?! Oh no! Of course not! Naru is many things, but he would never hurt me." She hastily recovered.

"If you say so, then I believe it to be true. But do you mind admitting who did this?" Kanzo directed them to chairs in the living room through the large doorway connecting the two rooms.

"It's nothing. Really. I'm okay so there's no need to rat anyone out." Mai denied as she sat in the chair next to him.

"Mai." He said with a fretting look. "Was it my son?" He asked while waiting. She looked at the wooden floor, following the grain patterns that swirled. Finally, she nodded. A disappointed sigh came from the direction of Kenzo.

"I sincerely apologize for my son's reckless behavior. Ever since his mother's death, he's become so much more aggressive. Getting into fights at school, breaking things in fits of rage, yelling. Believe me when I say that Souta used to be the sweetest boy. But now… I don't know what to do." Kenzo looked like he was very emotionally broken.

"I have to tell you. Remember when I passed out at the office?" Mai stopped and waited for a nod. When received, she continued. "I had vision that night. About your family. I saw how Souta was sick. Then how he almost died. And, lastly, I saw the gravestone of your wife. It's sort of odd how Souta got better when his mother got sick. Correct?" Mai said. Kenzo was wide eyed when she finished her explanation. He nodded.

"How did you know all of that? Are you really psychic?"

"Yes. I know it sounds insane, but it's true." Mai shrugged her shoulders. Some people are easier believers in this type of stuff, but others need proof. She had a feeling that Kenzo was the proof-needing kind. Well, either way, he had his proof.

"Wow." Was all he said. "Souta had some sort of incurable disease. He was born with it and was only expected to live about five years. On year six, he'd gotten so worse that doctors couldn't do anything more. He was expected to die. Lets say, Aiko wasn't taking it too well. We'd been preparing for years, but it was still depressing and unexpected. She said the words that apparently had some effect on the situation. '_I wish I could take his place! So God will take me instead and little Souta will live a long and happy life,' _if I remember correctly. Souta actually started getting better. We were happy for about two years. But that couldn't be the last of it, could it?" Kenzo rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Aiko eventually came down with an unknown disease. Like the one Souta had. It took her eight long years to finally pass. It was in her sleep, so it was peaceful. Souta did not take it well at all. Not long after was when he started acting out.

I wasn't taking her death well, either. I started working too much. I am a construction worker. Putting buildings together was really the only thing that made me forget the pain of losing the one I love. But I had a heart attack when Souta was fifteen. Put too much stress on myself and Souta almost lost me too. That's when I decided to take some time off to raise my son. But I fear I was a bit too late." Kenzo looked so disappointed in himself.

"I can't even begin to imagine what it was like for Souta and you, but I've had my fair share of heartbreak. I don't think it's your fault that Souta acts out. Maybe he's just looking for attention. Or, maybe there is something paranormal at work here. If that's the case, then that's what SPR will take care of. So don't worry!" Mai gave an encouraging smile at the end of her speech, which was contagious. Kenzo couldn't help but smile back.

"Father?" A voice from the doorway behind Mai asked. She instantly froze. It was Souta. Did he hear their conversation? Would he be mad if he did?

"Oh, Souta. I didn't realize you were up." Kenzo said standing.

"Mai. What were you and my father talking about?" Souta said stepping into Mai's view. She did not move a muscle.

"It was nothing, son. Go back to bed." He said, trying to push his son from the room. This visibly made Souta madder.

"No! I want to hear it from her mouth!" Souta said, his voice climbing louder. Mai flinched back into her chair. Souta pushed his father into the closest wall, where Kenzo hit his head and passed out. The younger Tadashi ran for Mai. She squealed and bolted from the chair and across the room. He turned to her in an attempt to grab her. His large hand grabbed her hair and pulled. She screamed in pain, but he placed a hand over her mouth. She was thrown into a large china cabinet. Glass shattered and rained everywhere. Mai fell to the glass littered floor with a painful grunt. She pushed herself up on her elbows and coughed a blood spattered cough. Souta pulled her up and spun her around to face him when he pushed her up against the wall where he dangled her in a chokehold.

The fire in his eyes scared her the most. And the fact that he was probably going to choke the life out of her. Her thin hands scratched at his wrist, which only made his grip tighter. Her vision spotted and a commotion could be heard on the stairs with a low sounding "What's going on?" and others of the sort. Her vision had completely blackened now. People were screaming and Mai was pretty sure her body went limp. Finally, she felt her body hit the floor and oxygen flood her lungs. It happened all too fast and her body wracked in bloody coughs. Her eyes were closed while someone pulled her head into their lap.

A gentle hand wiped hair from her forehead and comfortingly rubbed her cheek. Her chest rose excessively while she took deep breaths of precious air. Mai let her eyes flutter open to see who was holding her so dear. It really astounded her was that it, in fact, was the very uneasy and terrified face of Naru.

"Mai?" Naru whispered, both of his hands coming up on either side of her cool and pale face. She could not stop staring into his deep, dark eyes. She wanted to stay like this with Naru forever. Blood rushed to her cheeks at the sudden closeness.

"I'm okay." She finally said with a small sad smile. Naru still looked furious.

"Come on…" He gently picked her up bridal style. Mai looked over to Monk who was restraining Souta. She shut her eyes and laid her head on Naru's chest.

Before she new it, Naru had brought her to the girls room and dropped her lightly on the bed. Mai could feel the cuts from the glass shower. The strong iron taste still lingered on her tongue. Even though she wasn't tired before, she certainly was now. Unconsciousness threatened to pull her down.

"Mai! Don't let yourself go, Mai!" She heard from a very disgruntled Naru. But it was too late. She let go.

_Now what?_ Mai thought as she entered the dreamland.


	3. A Deal Between Mai and Gene

Ghost Hunt

~Chapter 3: A Deal between Mai and Gene~

~Naru~

"Mai! Don't let yourself go Mai!" Naru desperately tried to keep her awake. It was too late. He'd known that she had passed out. Whether it was from pain, blood loss, stress, or Gene calling her at a horrid time, didn't matter. It still happened and now he won't be able to be rid of the heavy weight on his shoulders until she woke up.

He couldn't remember when the last time he was so infuriated. It would be completely unprofessional to just beat Souta to a bloody pulp until they found out if he was possessed or just insane. Naru was hoping for the latter.

Mai needed to be checked over by Ayako. Lacerations covered her body and traces of blood dried her lips. Her neck was red, irritated and swollen. Of course there'd be yet _another _bruise.

He needed to go. To let out pent up anger. Was there anything wrong with that? Naru spent no more time thinking. He just went.

Abruptly, he stood from his crouched position on the floor. Blood rushed in his ears. It was annoyingly loud. Knowing he had to move, and fast, he dashed out the door. Basically flying down the stairs, he was out the front door. Not knowing where he was heading. Just letting his feet pound the ground in a sprint. Finally, he stopped as quickly as he started. Running his hands through his dark hair, tugging at the roots. The moon shone brightly above his head.

All of the sudden, it hit him like a ton of bricks. Why was he so furious? Things had not been right in the past few days. The part of his brain that thought about Mai so much just wouldn't shut up. It was almost maddening. Her smile, the way she makes the best out of every bad situation, the independence that flows through her vanes. Her laugh; oh god, her laugh. It was so sweet. _Wait…_

_Am I in love with Mai!?_

Naru could deny it no longer. This new revelation caused his head to swim and blur. How could he be so naive? He knew not to let people come too close. But, Mai? She was like a kamikaze. She flew under the radar, undetected. Seemingly harmless until it was too late. Blaming her was impossible. It certainly was not her fault that Naru was careless. If he let himself care about someone, they'll leave. They always did. His feelings would always become clear at the wrong time; right when they realized he was like a robot, incapable of feelings. They gave up on him. And his own stupid fears for being ridiculed and shunned by that person(s) once he admitted how he actually felt something other than admiration for his own reflection. So, most of the time, he kept his mouth shut about how his heart ached with loneliness and just let them walk away. Whenever he did try saying something, it came out wrong, hurtful and judgmental. On the outside, he made no indication that he felt guilt for the things he said, how he said them, and his actions. But on the inside, he would flinch. Scream at himself for being so idiotic and cruel. Heartless, even. Was it too late with Mai? Who was he kidding?

_Mai would never think about me that way… I'm sure there are many other legible men at her school. I wouldn't even be last choice. Surely she resents me. Who would blame her? I unintentionally treat her as if she was nothing but gum on the bottom of my shoe._

"I'm sorry, Mai…" Naru whispered to the dark, damp and empty street ahead of him. Alone, as always.

~Mai~

_Dreamland…_

"_Gene! I was kind of busy back there!" Mai screamed into the darkness. Gene suddenly appeared in front of her, causing tiny yelp to escape from her as she jumped back from surprise. Gene actually looked quite angry. His nostrils flared and his breathing was erotic. "Gene?"_

"_Tell Naru to take care of that Souta kid or I'll find a way how to do it myself." He growled. _

"_So that's what this is about?" Mai sighed. "Look, I'm fine. No need to 'take care' of anyone. He's probably possessed. If that's the case, we shouldn't beat up on the kid. Help him. Not hurt. Help." Mai shook her head._

"_And what if he isn't possessed? This would be no ordinary possession, Mai. He looks too… aware. Most people who have been possessed are straight up murderous. Souta is playing with you. Like a toy." Gene had a point, but Mai was still defending against it._

"_But there are all different kinds of demons! Smart ones, tricky ones, psychotic ones, of course I would be slightly worried if they weren't. They _are _demons after all. The list would be endless!" Mai countered. Gene considered this for a moment before making a deal._

"_Okay, Mai. I give SPR a week to find out for sure if he is possessed. If you exceed the time period given it to you, I will go after him and teach him a lesson he shall not forget. I know that seems harsh, especially for my personality, but when you're in danger, that's when I step in. My brother can just deal with the existential crisis that has been handed to him on a silver platter while I deal with Souta. It does not matter to me who puts Souta in line, but if no one else will, I guess it has to be me. Deal?" By the time he was done threatening Souta, Mai's mouth had already hit the floor. Gene could really be Naru's brother when need be. Finally, she shook the hand that was outstretched to her._

"_Okay. Deal." Mai grumbled unhappily. They unclasped hands and Gene was back to his old self._

"_Well, it was nice talking to you. But I'm afraid I must send you back." He gave Mai a light shove on the shoulders as he whispered "Wake up" in her ear. Blackness swallowed her mind a body._

**Okay, I apologize for the short chapter.**

**I just figured that I should post something, but I didn't feel like making a many paged chapter, but I promise there will be one soon! Let me know if you like where it's going so far.**

**I feel like a went uber deep in this chapter. Idk sometimes my mind feels like writing like a depressed sixteen year old girl, and other times I'm like Finn from Adventure Time.**

**Whateves.**

**Stay rad!**

***Solutes* Till' next time. ^-^**


	4. Seek Mai

Ghost Hunt

~Chapter 4: Seek Mai~

~Mai~

First thing that Mai did when she woke up was groan. All her muscles were tight and achy. Her neck pulsated in an irritating way. Sunlight shone through the lace curtains. Something heavy weighed down her mind and shoulders. What had her so worried? Mai's brown eyes widened when her dream with Gene popped in her brain. She had only a week before something terrible would happen to Souta.

No matter how much her body screamed at her for moving even a centimeter, she climbed off the warm and inviting bed. It hurt everything to even walk. But, she had to.

After the countless times her face twisted into a wince as she moved on, she finally arrived in the main room. It didn't surprise her in the least that Lin and Naru were crowded around their laptops. Masako sat close to Naru, just watching him type away. Mai narrowed her eyes at their closeness. Why did it bother her so much whenever Masako and Naru were together? It shouldn't. He wasn't Mai's. He didn't even like her.

_But last night he seemed upset… No, Mai. Stop. The only reason that is, is because I'm the only one who makes tea for him and does the paperwork he's too lazy to do. I'm just the assistant and that's all I'll ever be._

Ayako and Monk were quietly bickering on the couch. Where was John? She hadn't seen much of the Aussie in the two days they'd been there and she wondered why. But, more importantly, where was Souta? Ayako and Monk suddenly stopped arguing long enough to look up at Mai. Monk stood and Ayako looked my way.

"Oh, Mai! You're awake. Thank goodness. You've been out for two days!" Ayako complained. _Two days!?_ On Ayako's words, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up. Mai's mouth turned up into a sad smile. Naru looked at her at a complete loss for words. Monk had already run over to the beaten up girl and spun her around in a hug while yelling something about being worried. Mai whimpered in pain and Monk instantly let go of her. Her shoulders sagged under all of the stress her body was undergoing.

During this whole ordeal, Mai noticed Naru had not taken his eyes off of her. His eyes shined with some sort of new understanding. What about? She had no clue.

"Mai, Are you in a lot of pain?" Ayako asked while hovering her hands in front of her chest. Should Mai lie? She knew that if she was honest, they would take her off of the case. That couldn't happen. Mai shook her head.

"Nope. Just a tad sore is all. No big deal!" She smiled cheerfully. It was fake though. No one had ever been able to tell when she fake smiled. Every now and then she would get strange looks from Naru when she seemed to be smiling though a bad situation, but nothing outright saying "I know you're lying" though. It made her sort of disappointed and at the same time relieved.

Ayako squinted her eyes at Mai for a moment, but then nodded.

"Guys, listen. Gene came to me in the time I was…. Out." Mai stated, grabbing everyone's attention one again. Naru stood and walked to stand in dead center of the room.

"And?" He only said. Mai swallowed as she was about to drop the already lit bomb.

"He told me that if we couldn't prove that Souta is possessed in a week, Gene'll find a way to go after him and 'teach him a lesson'." She made quotes around the last part.

"Can he even do that?" Monk asked with a disbelieving sound. Naru looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Not that I know of, and that's saying a lot." No one but Mai noticed the way his head jerked after he said it. Monk just rolled his eyes. "But if he's really Gene, he will find a way." Naru turned back to her, his facial expression softening a bit. "Is that all he said?"

Mai nodded, "Yeah, basically." He sighed, turning back to his desk. And no one said anything.

"Well? Are we going to do anything? We only have a week, may I remind you." Mai asked to silent SPR. They all looked to each other.

"I say we just let Gene do whatever he has to do. Nothing supernatural has really happened in the time we've been here. I say he's just a hormonal teenager who needs counseling." Monk shrugged. Ayako nodded. Mai looked to Naru.

"What do you think, Naru? Because I think these guys are being a bit hasty." The narcissist let his head rest in his hand in a thoughtful way.

"We'll stay for two more days. But if nothing paranormal happens in those two days, we pack up and head home." Naru nodded, not asking if that was alright to everyone because he's Naru; the boss. Monk let out a dejected sigh and slouched. Mai had to admit that she was not fond of having another time limit, but she didn't let it show.

~Naru~

Naru couldn't stop from looking at Mai. The girl who he was so used to seeing as bright and colorful, now looked as dull as a sheet of paper. He knew this case was taking a toll on her, and fast, but there was really nothing he could do. He knew she wouldn't be too keen on being put off of the case, so that wasn't an option he was willing to consider just yet. Naru didn't respond for a few seconds after the recent question Mai asked.

"Naru, answer me. Where is Souta?" Mai asked once again. Naru couldn't blame her for wondering. She was most likely terrified of the kid. She'd rather not want to bump into him somewhere in the house.

"We tied him up in the basement." Naru answered. He could tell she didn't like the idea, but she liked it better than him roaming around the house, waiting to strike again. He still had no idea why he would want to hurt Mai. She hadn't done anything wrong. Just an innocent girl. An innocent girl who tries to make everything convenient for them and not herself. The way she tried to make Ayako believe she didn't ache. Naru could see right through her façades. He'd never mentioned it to her, but it was something only he knew he could decipher. Now it occurred to Naru that maybe Mai wasn't as happy as he always described her as. It was pretty clear to him that she needed more rest. Good thing he was her boss.

"Mai. I know you say you're okay, but I would rather not take the chance. Go back upstairs and rest. And no arguing." Naru demanded using his "higher authority" voice. Mai scoffed, but didn't protest. After she was back upstairs, Monk asked the million yen question.

"Well what do we do now?" Naru made a thinking face.

"I say we just leave. Nothing substantial has happened yet and I haven't felt any pressures indicating there are other presences here. This house is clearly not haunted." Masako said out of no where. She had been silent the whole time. Naru looked to his right. How long had she even been there? And why was she so close? Naru moved his chair to left, putting some space between them.

"Two days and that's final." Naru stood from his chair and started towards the stairs. Normally, after realizing he loved Mai, he would do anything to avoid her. But he knew that would be harder than it seemed.

~Mai~

Sometimes, Naru really aggravated her. She knew that every step hurt her, but who said she was willing to lie down when they only had two days before Souta would be given up on?

Mai stumbled into the room while mumbled nothings about how frustrated she was. She instantly froze when she saw someone sitting on the bed.

"Hello again, Mai." Souta said while smiling. Mai gulped and backed up, about ready to bolt from the room. She turned to the door when it swung shut and locked. She stopped and slowly turned around. "Sorry, but you aren't going anywhere."

"What do you want?" Mai's voice was steady and demanding, but she could feel her pulse in her ears. His eyes flashed black. Completely, black. She knew it! He _was_ possessed! "Who are you?"

"Oh trust me, I _am_ Souta. Just… different." He said before bounding up from the bed. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of her. She gasped and tried to take a step back. But he gripped her wrist. "Time for a field trip." He said with a wicked smile. It was the last thing she saw before dropping to the floor, unconscious. She highly doubted she would be going to visit Gene this time.

~Naru~

He heard the door slam while he was on his way up the stairs. Mai wouldn't answer to his calls out in the corridor. He started to panic.

"Mai?! Open the door, Mai!" Deciding something was wrong, he aimed his broad shoulder towards the door and collided. The door broke open with a wood splintering crack, only to find that Mai was not there. The door was locked from the inside, so this made absolutely no sense. Where could she have gone? Just then, an idea popped in his head.

"Monk!" He yelled down the stairs. "Go down into the basement and check on Souta!" After a few minutes, Naru got a strained reply.

"He's gone!" Naru cursed under his breath and punched the wall, leaving a medium sized hole. He rushed down the stairs in a frenzy to relay the news.

"Mai's gone. I can't find her and the room she was in was locked from the inside. Souta's gone too." Naru said to the main room which had exploded and disastrous conversation of a panicking SPR.

He made a promise to himself. As soon as she was found, he was going to tell her how he felt. If he lost her without telling her… His world would be in ruins and he would never let it go.


End file.
